The Stairway Trial Day 3

Led Zeppelin were inspired by everyone but Spirit when writing Stairway to Heaven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLkp_Dx6VdI

Day 3

Francis Malofiy – counsel for Michael Skidmore, trustee of the estate of Spirit guitarist Randy California kicked off the day by trying to get Jimmy Page to admit on the stand that he was influenced by Spirit while writing Stairway to Heaven. That did not happen.  He did get Jimmy page to admit two things, Page can read and write music and that Mary Poppins had more influence on the song Stairway to Heaven than Spirit did.

Lawyer for Spirit Francis Malofiy also brought out the big guns, witness Dr. Alexander Stewart, a musicologist and music professor from the University of Vermont. The most credible witness to take the stand in the trial other than Page himself. While on the stand he explained in detail music theory, how chord progressions work and how many songs are similar when it comes to chord progression.  They then played Henry Purcell’s Dido’s Lament, the Beatles Michelle and My Funny Valentine as examples.
This is all very confusing.

A huge point in both sides of the case is the statute of limitations for the royalties of Stairway to Heaven. Francis Malofiy stated that an unreleased version of Stairway to Heaven on a CD of alternate mixes from Led Zeppelin IV done by Page and engineer Andy Johns may be liable under the three-year statute of limitations law.  Meaning this could all be a giant waste of time.